Wednesday, 15 February 2012

Way out on Muscle Shoals Beach they are listening to a little Southern Rock




Lynard Skynard - Pronounced 'lĕh-'nérd 'skin-'nérd'

Allman Brothers - Brothers & Sisters
Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers
Atlanta Rhythm Section - Champagne Jam

Saturday, 11 February 2012

Stevie Nicks - Edge of Seventeen

Just like the white winged dove, sings a song sounds like she’s singing Oooh...Baby...Ooh...Baby...Oooh


Pick of the Week

“The Edge of Seventeen” by Stevie Nicks (1981)

Her voice is one of the most instantly recognizable female voices in pop music. With her platform boots, her top hat, and shawls, she developed a ‘mystic’ persona. She could have easily been the inspiration for ‘the Witches of Eastwich’. She sang lead on “Dreams” from the phenomenal Fleetwood Mac ‘Rumors’ album;
the only single to go to number one on that album. Other classic songs ‘Mac’ with the Nick’s stamp on them are “Landslide”, and “Silver Springs”.

Sunday, 5 February 2012

Jackson Browne--Doctor My Eyes

Doctor, my eyes have seen the years and the slow parade of fears without crying. Now I want to understand.


70’s Song of the week

“Doctor My Eyes” by Jackson Browne (1970)

The first time I really paid attention to the Jackson Browne “Running on Empty” album I was at a friend’s place; actually his older sister’s.  We were playing charades. I couldn’t believe we were playing charades – it seems pretty lame to me; I already had a pretty healthy cynicism about me in my teens. What had caught my attention though was the Jackson Browne album on the stereo. When it was my turn to demonstrate something and my clue was’ Deep Purple’ I was kind of useless

Wednesday, 1 February 2012

Classics IV - " Spooky " 1968

Love is kinka crazy with a spooky little girl like you. You always keep me guessin’. I never seem to know what you are thinkin’.


Hip to be Square

“Stormy” by the Classics IV (1968)

This is the story of a band few know the name of, but because they have been covered so often many have heard.

The British invasion was in high swing in mid sixties in the U.S. when this southern band formed in Jacksonville Florida. Doing covers of instrumentals (like the Ventures surf music), they were soon asked to sing. Dennis Yost the “stand-up” drummer as he was called started singing and drumming. The band, originally called the “Classics” was so named because of the brand name on his drum kit.

Saturday, 21 January 2012

Cyndi Lauper - Girls Just Want To Have Fun

The phone rings in the middle of the night My father yells what you gonna do with your life. Oh daddy dear you know you're still number one but girls they wanna have fun


‘80’s Pick of the Week

“Girls Just Wanna Have Fun” by Cyndi Lauper (1983)

There ain’t no stoppin’ the whirling New York dervish called Cyndi Lauper. In 2010 at age 57 she had the number one selling blues album on Billboard called “Memphis Blues”. 

Seems like she came out of nowhere. Her contribution to ‘80’s styles is unquestionable. Was it her inextinguishable New York charm? Was it her little high pitched squeals interjected into songs? Was it her hair? Or does it really go deeper; like she really is an amazing singer with a innate feeling and understanding for the material, whether her own or the interpretation of others?

Thursday, 19 January 2012

Disco: Get Down!

BeeGees - Spirits Having Flown

Blondie - Parallel Lines

Chic - C'est Chic

Silver Convention

Sunday, 15 January 2012

Paul Simon et al. - Late In The Evening

I remember there’s a radio coming from the room next door, my mother laughs the way some ladies do


Pick of the Week

“Late in the Evening” by Paul Simon (1980)

Imagine for a moment what the world would be like if the 5 o’clock train never showed up, or there were no such thing as hot dogs, or your grandma hopelessly and endlessly missed a stitch every time she knitted. Now think of a world without Paul Simon songs...........sucks right?  It was Simon himself who said “every generation throws a hero up the pop charts”. He may not have been talking about himself, but damn he wrote some catchy pop songs.